MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2007 Regular Session
To: Judiciary A
By: Representative Blackmon
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 73-13-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETE EXPERT TESTIMONY FROM THE DEFINITION OF PRACTICE OF ENGINEERING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 73-13-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
73-13-3. The term "engineer" as used in Sections 73-13-1 through 73-13-45 shall mean a professional engineer as hereinafter defined.
The term "professional engineer" within the meaning and intent of Sections 73-13-1 through 73-13-45 shall mean a person who has met the qualifications as required under Section 73-13-23(1) and who has been issued a certificate of registration as a professional engineer.
The term "engineer intern" as used in Sections 73-13-1 through 73-13-45 shall mean a candidate for licensure as a professional engineer who has met the qualifications as required under Section 73-13-23(2) and who has been issued a certificate of enrollment as an engineer intern.
The term "practice of engineering" within the meaning and intent of Sections 73-13-1 through 73-13-45 shall mean any service or creative work the adequate performance of which requires engineering education, training, and experience in the application of special knowledge of the mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences to such services or creative work as consultation, investigation, * * * planning, design, and design coordination of engineering works and systems, planning the use of land, air and water, performing engineering surveys and studies, and the review of construction for the purpose of monitoring compliance with drawings and specifications; any of which embraces such engineering services or work, either public or private, in connection with any utilities, water resources, structures, buildings, machines, equipment, processes, work systems, projects, communication systems, transportation systems, industrial or consumer products or equipment of control systems; or engineering services or work of a communications, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, geotechnical (including geology and geohydrology incidental to the practice of engineering), geological, environmental, or thermal nature, insofar as they involve safeguarding life, health or property, and including such other professional services as may be necessary to the planning, progress and completion of any engineering services.
Design coordination includes the review and coordination of those technical submissions prepared by others, including as appropriate and without limitation, consulting engineers, surveyors, architects, landscape architects and other professionals working under direction of the engineer.
The term "firm," as used in Sections 73-13-1 through 73-13-45, shall mean a business entity that offers the professional engineering or surveying services to the public of its licensed personnel who are either employees, officers, directors, partners, members or managers. A business entity may be formed as either:
(a) A professional service corporation;
(b) A corporation;
(c) A partnership, including limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships; or
(d) A limited liability company.
Prior to any contract for or the provision of professional engineering or surveying services in this jurisdiction, a firm shall obtain a certificate of authority under Section 73-13-43 or Section 73-13-105 of this chapter. A sole proprietorship, owned and operated by a licensee under this chapter is not required to obtain a certificate of authority under Section 73-13-43 or Section 73-13-105. A professional association of licensed professional engineers or professional surveyors is not required to obtain a certificate of authority under Section 73-13-43 or Section 73-13-105. Both the licensed sole proprietor and the licensees within a professional association shall maintain their individual licenses in active status and only offer the professional services for which they are licensed and qualified to provide.
Engineering surveys include all survey activities required to support the sound conception, planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of engineered projects but exclude the practice of surveying as defined in Section 73-13-71(d).
A person or firm shall be construed to practice or offer to practice engineering within the meaning and intent of Sections 73-13-1 through 73-13-45, who practices any branch of the profession of engineering; or provides, by verbal claim, sign, advertisement, letterhead, card, or in any other way represents himself to be a professional engineer, or through the use of some other title implies that he is a professional engineer; or who holds himself out as able to perform or provide, or who does perform any engineering service or work or any other professional service designated by the practitioner or recognized by educational authorities as engineering.
The term "board" as used in Sections 73-13-1 through 73-13-45 shall mean the Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors provided for by said sections.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2007.